3 March 2021
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
In June 2020, the Broward Deanery crafted a letter in response to the unjust killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans and the protest that was sweeping across the nation in which there was a call for the ending of systemic racism, reform of the police, and a more sustained attention to economic justice. This letter accurately reflected the feelings of the clergy and congregations of our diocese, and it was adopted by all our deaneries in convocation. So it became our letter as a diocesan community and our plan of action for dealing with systemic racism and injustice in Church and society. Therefore the letter has been updated and retitled to express that this is indeed an official document of the Diocese of Southeast Florida.
We have redrafted the letter, keeping most of the body and the commitment to action statements. The new letter will be sent to all of our clergy, congregations, schools, and special ministries. It is our prayer that you will renew your commitment to building the Beloved Community and adopt your own plan to act on the initiatives in your special circumstances. In addition, we are sending the letter to all the dioceses in the Episcopal Church and to our ecumenical and interfaith partners in Southeast Florida to let them know of our commitment to ending racism and injustice.
We are deeply grateful for the leadership of those who crafted the Broward Deanery Letter and for leading the way in our forward movement to making our Church and society reflect a just community for all people.
With every blessing.
